Initial Research Write Up

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March of the Penguins 

Director: Luc Jacquet
Release Date: 22nd of July 2005
Production Company:

• National Geographic Films
• Bonne Pioche
• Wild Bunch
• Alliance de Production Cinematographique
• Buena Vista International Film Production France
• Canal+
• L'Institut Polare Français Paul-Émile Victor

This documentary was targeted at anyone who is interested in nature and geography, this is aimed at a more mature and older audience such as adults or potentially students, this is because it is a very informative documentary and can potentially be used as a form of teaching for those who study either geography or biology.

This documentary uses the direct cinema technique, the use of this technique allows the viewer to see a chronological order of a series of events which these penguins live their life and the what they have to do at different times of the year in order for them to survive and reproduce safely.

Use of narrative techniques have been used in this documentary, for example Propps use of characters, in this documentary the Hero would be the parents because they both protect the baby penguin (princess/prize), however you could also argue that the dad would be the false hero as the mother penguin is the one that goes to get food for the baby, and when the mothers come back the fathers leave. The Villain/s would be any danger that the penguins face, for example the seals would be one of the villains because the seals kill the penguins and then eat them, moreover the birds of prey would also be a villain because they try to eat the baby penguins, the final villain would be the weather as it makes the penguins journey harder and can also kill the penguins if the temperature gets too low.

Another narrative technique that has been used in this documentary would be the use of Levi Strauss's theory, this theory of binary opposition shows the battle between good vs bad, for example the seals eating the penguins when they are in the water would be a representation of the bad battling the good and winning, however sometimes the penguins get away, this shows that there is an equal balance between each opposing sides neither one being greater than the other. This documentary also follows Strauss's theory as the penguins journey is a battle between life and death as the penguins are have to go out and hunt for their food in order to survive, but if they do not get their food then it increases their chance of dying, likewise if the parents do not keep the baby penguins warm enough then the baby penguins stands and increased chance of dying.

This documentary is very effective due to the use of these techniques that have been included, for example the use of villains creates an empathetic atmosphere as we do see both adult and baby penguins die as they lose their battle against some of the villains of the Antarctic.